New Mexico Tourism | Native American

Events: Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, Gathering of Nations, Santa Fe Indian Market, tribal feast days, Zuni Harvest Festival
Dances: corn dance, buffalo dance, deer dance, Matachines dance
Food: fry bread, grilled corn, oven bread

Oven Bread

In the pueblos, this bread is baked in outdoor ovens called hornos. This recipe has been adapted for indoor home ovens.

1 package dry yeast
1/2 tablespoon shortening
1/4 cup honey or sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water
5 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Mix well and set aside.

Combine lard, honey and salt in large bowl. Add 1 cup hot water and stir well. When mixture cools to room temperature, mix well with yeast mixture.

Add 4 cups of four, stirring well after each cup.

Spread 1 cup of flour on cutting board and place dough upon it. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic (about 15 minutes). Put dough in large bowl, cover with cloth and put in warm place until dough doubles in bulk.

Turn dough onto floured surface again and knead well. Divide dough into two equal parts. Shape each into loaves or rounds.

Place the loaves on well-greased cookie sheet, cover with cloth and allow to double in warm place. Put into preheated 350-degree oven and bake until lightly browned (about 1 hour). Use oven's middle rack and place a shallow pan of water on the bottom of the oven.